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Nepal election turn-out low
Kathmandu - Voters in Nepal cast their ballots under threats of violence on Wednesday in controversial elections that the king promised would be the first step back to democracy in the troubled Himalayan nation.
Turn-out was thin in the first hours of polling amid a general strike called by Maoist rebels, who threatened anyone taking part in Nepal's first national election since 1999.
Newspapers reported that security agencies had been allowed to shoot people disrupting the local elections.
King Gyanendra called the election as part of a "road map to democracy" after he sacked the government and seized absolute power a year ago, promising to quell the 10-year-old rebel insurgency that has claimed 12 500 lives.
But many of his opponents have called the plan a sham and insisted that the elections were a bid to try to legitimise the king's February 2005 power grab.
Wednesday's municipal elections were also faced with a shortage of candidates.
In Kathmandu's historic Durbar Square, voting booths were open, but people casting ballots were few and far between.
In other towns voter turn-out was also low.
Boycott
In Mahendranagar in far West Nepal, turn-out was negligible after a series of blasts shook the main bazaar before polling began.
More
http://www.news24.com/News24/World/News/0,,2-10-1462_1877374,00.html
Newspapers reported that security agencies had been allowed to shoot people disrupting the local elections.
King Gyanendra called the election as part of a "road map to democracy" after he sacked the government and seized absolute power a year ago, promising to quell the 10-year-old rebel insurgency that has claimed 12 500 lives.
But many of his opponents have called the plan a sham and insisted that the elections were a bid to try to legitimise the king's February 2005 power grab.
Wednesday's municipal elections were also faced with a shortage of candidates.
In Kathmandu's historic Durbar Square, voting booths were open, but people casting ballots were few and far between.
In other towns voter turn-out was also low.
Boycott
In Mahendranagar in far West Nepal, turn-out was negligible after a series of blasts shook the main bazaar before polling began.
More
http://www.news24.com/News24/World/News/0,,2-10-1462_1877374,00.html
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The elections have been organised to legitimise his dismissal of Parliament and seizure of power last year, but have been largely boycotted.
As the capital Kathmandu's streets are deserted, the government and much of the media are attempting to blame the general strike on armed Maoist rebels. But seven political parties – who won 90% of the vote in the last democratic elections in 1999 – are boycotting the election and over half the 4,146 local positions have no candidates at all.
The Financial Times reports that the king's strategy of locking up political leaders and civil rights activists, modelled on Burma's, has succeeded in damping turn-out at pro-democracy protests in the capital. Mass rallies have petered out, to be replaced by ad-hoc skirmishes with security forces.
The United Nations' Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Nepal on Saturday called on the king to release an estimated 800 people detained under the Public Security Act for "peacefully expressing their political opinion".
http://libcom.org/news/article.php/nepal-general-strike-060206
One other protester was wounded when police opened fire in south-western Dang district, the authorities say.
Turnout was very low amid an opposition boycott and a strike ordered by rebels, which they called off as polls closed.
At least three other people died in two separate clashes between troops and Maoist rebels, officials said.
The opposition activist died from his injuries after being shot in the town of Tribhuvan Nagar, officials said.
The defence ministry said protesters had attacked and injured security personnel guarding a polling station. Soldiers had been told to shoot anyone trying to disrupt voting.
Initial estimates put voter turnout at about 10%.
The BBC's Charles Haviland in Kathmandu says King Gyanendra will be disappointed by the outcome of election day.
Both the opposition and the Maoist rebels, who threatened those taking part with violence, said the election was a sham to try to entrench the king's direct rule.
As soon as polls closed, the rebels announced they were calling off the week-long general strike on its fourth day.
Candidate fears
Most voters were deterred by the opposition boycott or the rebel threats.
More
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/4691110.stm